Through all four of the pieces, they all share the same central idea, the seemingly simple idea of space. Davila mentions in his article that most cultural geographers believe space “that space is always socially constituted, and not solely through physical boundaries, representations, or practices, but by the interaction of these various elements,” which she agrees with. This is a very important idea as we can see through the readings of Zhou Min, Wei Li, and Nancy Foner.
The space that you live in, whether you be in Chinatown, El Barrio, or any other neighborhood, is a part of your cultural identity and to take that away is utterly ridiculous as which was happening to the Latino/a community in El Barrio. An important part of this article was the growing gentrification of this area, and how it will affect the history and the struggles of its inhabitants. While gentrification is important, it should not interfere with one’s cultural identity. The Latin community has made El Barrio its home, and carries much more meaning to them, than being the neighborhood they live in. It may be an impoverished community, which makes gentrification all that much better, but it is crucial to maintain a balance between the two. Many residents of El Barrio who have moved out, return because they feel that it is a part of their identity that they have formed over the course half a century.
Chinatown, with the exception of race, and ethnicity, is also very similar to Spanish Harlem, they are both enclaves where people with common struggles and aspirations are connected to each other through space. We cannot take these places away, because they, holistically, are a part of New York’s history and make up what it is. In New York, you don’t only have enclaves, but you also have many diverse neighborhoods as well. Enclaves like Spanish Harlem and Chinatown, are important to preserve because they help us remember the forged identities that people have created, and the history behind it.
